Bill to remove Judea, Samaria cases from Supreme Court advances

Knesset passes bill to transfer authority for Judea and Samaria from Supreme Court to Administrative Affairs Court passes first reading.

Arutz Sheva Staff, 28/05/18 19:36

The Knesset

Yonatan Sindel/Flash 90

The Knesset approved in its first reading the bill proposed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (the Jewish Home), which transfers authority over Judea and Samaria from the Supreme Court to the Administrative Affairs Court.

After its final approval, the bill will normalize legal proceedings in Judea and Samaria and reduce the burden of the Supreme Court.

Arab claims against Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria will be clarified and the filing of endless petitions to delay the demolition of illegal Arab construction will end under the new law.

Minister Shaked said that "today the Knesset has taken a big step toward normalizing life in Judea and Samaria The rights of residents of Judea and Samaria are no less important than the rights of other citizens. The move will also reduce the heavy burden imposed on the Supreme Court."

"The High Court of Justice, which handles about 2000 petitions each year, should reject many of the petitions outright, and in the process I am leading now we will shift this burden to lower courts," said the minister.

MK Dov Khenin, from the joint list, said: "This is a dangerous and problematic law because it is an integral part of the laws of annexation. The authority of the High Court of Justice is part of the criticism of the military regime in the occupied territories. [This bill] in fact contrary to the real interests of both sides in reaching a peace and justice solution that requires the end and end of the occupation.|"

MK Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union) also attacked the bill. "This is another law from the Jewish Home. In any case, they want to come up with D-9 on the High Court of Justice, so everything is sent to administrative courts as if it were a matter between man and his fellow.

"They say they want to make things easier for the High Court of Justice. All those who fight in the High Court of Justice suddenly got up in the morning and decided that they wanted to make things easier for him. This is a waste of sand in the eyes of the public. It's an attempt to create a situation in which we think annexation is a normal matter," Livni said.